REVIEW; MESTIZA BLOOD by V. Castro
From the lauded author of The Queen of the Cicadas (which picked up starred reviews from PW, Kirkus and Booklist who called her "a dynamic and innovative voice") comes a short story collection of nightmares, dreams, desire and visions focused on the Chicana experience. V. Castro weaves urban legend, folklore, life experience and heartache in this personal journey beginning in south Texas: a bar where a devil dances the night away; a street fight in a neighborhood that may not have been a fight after all; a vengeful chola at the beginning of the apocalypse; mind swapping in the not so far future; satan who falls and finds herself in a brothel in Amsterdam; the keys to Mictlan given to a woman after she dies during a pandemic. The collection finishes with two longer tales: The Final Porn Star is a twist on the final girl trope and slasher, with a creature from Mexican folklore; and Truck Stop is an erotic horror romance with two hearts: a video store and a truck stop.
Good lord, what a breath of fresh air this collection is! Just when you thought horror had been there, done that and shown us everything about ourselves that we couldn't contemplate, up comes V. Castro with a take that feels only too appropriate (with the orange one only recently deposed) yet with a perspective that straddles borders. My personal favourite was Truck Stop, which fascinated yet repelled me in equal measure - a true marker of good horror. I could not stop reading it despite feeling queasy at the sex scenes. I also loved that the heroines of the stories were completely unapologetic about the primacy of their own desires and willing to stand their ground against oppression. No screaming victims here, thank you very much - unless you're a right-wing bully. For anyone who loves Clive Barker or Poppy Z. Brite, this book is for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Violet Castro was born in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican American parents. Since Violet was a child, she
wrote short horror stories and was always fascinated with dark fiction beginning with Mexican folklore and the urban legends of Texas. At eighteen Violet left Texas for Philadelphia to attend Drexel University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and History. Violet now lives with her family in the U.K. writing and travelling with her children. She tries to return to the US twice a year to see her parents, three sisters and extended family.
For more information about her books and other publications, please visit www.vvcastro.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @vlatinalondon.
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